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Children’s License Agreement

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (“CHOA”) provides free access to certain materials and information, documentation, forms, questionnaires and diagrams relating to the study, prevention, and treatment of concussions via this website and its related pages, including without limitation, for your reference or download (collectively, the “Concussion Program Materials”) as described in this License agreement (“Agreement”). By accessing the Concussion Program Materials, you accept and agree to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

1. Right to Access and Use. CHOA hereby provides you a fully-paid, nontransferable, nonexclusive, personal right and license to access, download, or otherwise use any Concussion Program Materials solely for the following purposes:

(i) if you are accessing the materials as a parent, you may use the Concussion Program Materials for your personal, non-commercial use to educate yourself and your family on concussion prevention and treatment for a child;

(ii) if you are accessing the materials as an athletics coach or on behalf of a school organization, you may use the Concussion Program Materials to promote concussion safety to your staff, students and athletes and to create appropriate concussion management procedures; and

(iii) if you are a healthcare provider, you may use the Concussion Program Materials for your personal, professional development to enhance your medical knowledge in the field of concussions. You acknowledge the Concussion Program Materials are not to be used as definitive diagnostic tools with any specific patient and your independent medical judgment will be used to treat any patient.

You must maintain all CHOA proprietary notices on the Concussion Program Materials. You may not copy, modify, adapt, reverse engineer or create derivative works of the Concussion Program Materials or remove any copyright or other proprietary rights notices therefrom. Notwithstanding the foregoing, where indicated in the Concussion Program Materials, schools and sports organizations are permitted to co-brand certain of the Concussion Program Materials with CHOA’s prior written consent. Additionally, schools, sports programs and recreational leagues may put their own logo on the Concussion Policy and modify it to meet their needs. CHOA may update, replace or remove some or all of the Concussion Program Materials from time to time, and you should check back with the website to determine if the Concussion Program Materials you downloaded are current.

2. Reservation of Rights. Except for the limited license provided to you in Section 1 of this Agreement, no express or implied license, right, or ownership interest of any kind is granted to you with respect to any of the Concussion Program Materials or any copyrights, trademarks, or other intellectual property rights therein. CHOA reserves all rights not expressly granted in this Agreement.

3. Disclaimer of Medical Advice. The Concussion Program Materials do not constitute specific medical advice and are provided as information resources only. The Concussion Program Materials do not create a patient-physician relationship and should not be used as a substitute for professional advice and treatment from a licensed doctor. In the case of a concern, a medical professional should be consulted. In the event of an emergency, you should call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department immediately. By licensing the Concussion Program Materials, CHOA is not assuming any duty to update the Concussion Program Materials, and you are responsible for reviewing and approving the Concussion Program Materials for your use.

4. No Warranties. While CHOA makes efforts to provide materials that accurately reflect the research and information CHOA is authorized to make available publicly, THE CONCUSSION PROGRAM AND ALL RELATED MATERIALS ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO YOU ON AN “AS IS” BASIS AND CHOA DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

5. Limitation of Liability. IN NO EVENT WILL CHOA OR ITS AFFILIATES, OR ANY OF THE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, SHAREHOLDERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS OR REPRESENTATIVES OF CHOA OR ITS AFFILIATES, BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR LOSS OF GOODWILL OR PROFIT IN ANY WAY ARISING FROM OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE MATERIALS, HEREUNDER, INCLUDING THE FAILURE OF ESSENTIAL PURPOSE, EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OR LIKELIHOOD OF SUCH DAMAGES. IN ANY EVENT, THE LIABILITY OF CHOA AND ITS AFFILIATES, AND THE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, SHAREHOLDERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF CHOA AND ITS AFFILIATES, FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, SHALL NOT EXCEED ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS.

6. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed and governed in accordance with the laws of the State of Georgia of the United States of America, without regard to its rules regarding conflicts of law.

7. General. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties regarding its subject matter and supersedes any prior understanding or agreement respecting the subject matter of this Agreement. You irrevocably waive any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or Concussion Program Materials. If any provision of this Agreement is held invalid, the remainder of this Agreement will continue in full force and effect.

Diabetes Care

Diabetes is life-changing, but your child can live a full and active life with the right care and management. Children’s has the expertise, support and tools to make it easier.

Diabetes is life-changing, but your child can live a full and active life with the right care and management. Children’s has the expertise, support and tools to make it easier.

What We Treat

Because diabetes is a complex condition that affects the whole body, we work with other specialists as needed to provide coordinated, comprehensive care. We also draw from resources and services across Children’s and the community to give you and your child all the care and support you need.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes means that your child’s body either does not make a hormone called insulin or does not use it properly. Insulin controls the level of sugar, or glucose, in the blood. Symptoms can include:

Urinating a lot

Drinking a lot and often feeling thirsty

Eating a lot and often feeling hungry

Energy loss or often feeling tired

Weight loss

Headaches, stomachaches, back pain, nausea or vomiting

Blurred distance vision or not being able to focus vision properly

Repeated skin infections

Types of diabetes

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is also known as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. It is the most common type of diabetes found in children and young adults. When a child has Type 1 diabetes, his pancreas can no longer make insulin. The immune system gets confused, and attacks and kills the pancreas cells that make insulin, rather than recognizing them as a normal part of the body.

About 1 in 7 people with Type 1 diabetes will have a family member who also has Type 1 diabetes. Children who have Type 1 diabetes can stay healthy by taking insulin injections every day. They can become very sick and even die if they cannot get insulin.

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is sometimes called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Until recently it has mainly affected adults. Today, Type 2 diabetes is becoming more common in children. Most children with Type 2 diabetes have a family member with Type 2 diabetes. Unlike Type 1 diabetes, the immune system has nothing to do with Type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes means that your child's body has a resistance to insulin. The body doesn't use insulin in the right way. Even though many children take medicines or insulin injections to treat their Type 2 diabetes, the most important part of treatment is to eat right and be active.

Cystic fibrosis-related diabetes

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease that affects the lungs, and it also causes pancreas problems. If the pancreas does not make enough insulin, diabetes can develop. Or your child's body may have a resistance to insulin, which means it doesn't use insulin in the right way. Even though cystic fibrosis-related diabetes does not always cause symptoms, it usually needs to be treated with insulin injections.

Diabetes caused by medicine

Some medicines, such as steroids, can temporarily raise blood glucose levels. People with diabetes will almost always need to change their diabetes treatment when they take steroid medications.

Diabetes insipidus

Diabetes insipidus occurs when a hormone that controls urine production cannot be made or cannot work in the kidneys. The hormone is called anti-diuretic hormone, and is made in the pituitary gland. Diabetes insipidus can cause many symptoms of other forms of diabetes, but blood sugar levels are normal and the pancreas is not involved.

Gestational diabetes

This form of diabetes means that a woman’s blood glucose is too high during pregnancy. The mother’s high blood glucose levels can cause complications in the baby. Most often, the baby will be bigger than usual—birth weights can be more than 10 pounds.

Mothers who have gestational diabetes are at a high risk for getting Type 2 diabetes later in their life. Children who are born to a mother with gestational diabetes are at higher risk for being overweight and getting Type 2 diabetes when they are adults.

Related conditions

Children with diabetes are at risk for some other physical and mental health issues. We work with other Children’s specialists and professionals to diagnose, treat and manage conditions such as:

Thyroid disease

The immune system of children with Type 1 diabetes sometimes attacks other organs besides the pancreas. Immune cell reactions against the thyroid gland are the most common and they can cause the gland to become overactive or underactive. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped organ in the neck that controls the speed of everything in your body. When thyroid hormone is too low, things move slowly. When it is too high, things move too quickly.

Celiac disease

Celiac disease causes the intestines to react against proteins in grains, including wheat, rye and barley. Children with Type 1 diabetes are at high risk for having celiac disease. Symptoms can be severe, including slow growth and diarrhea. Some children with celiac disease do not know they have symptoms until after they are treated and realize how much better they feel.

High cholesterol and triglycerides

Cholesterol and triglycerides are types of fat that travel in the blood to all the cells of the body. Children with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are at risk for having high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. If these levels are high for many years, they can raise the risk of heart attack or stroke. Usually, the only way to know if cholesterol and triglycerides are too high is to do a blood test. Some children need to take medicine to keep their levels safe.

Depression, anxiety and mental health

Some children and families have a hard time coping after a diabetes diagnosis. Counseling and other steps can help. Talk to your doctor about options to get help.

Services We Offer

Because diabetes is a chronic, usually lifelong disease, self-management is critical. Children’s offers a wide range of classes, tools and support that can be found under “Helpful Resources.”

We also offer complete clinical care, including:

Diagnosis and determination of the type of diabetes

Testing for related conditions such as thyroid disease

Screening for young family members when appropriate

Management of medicines and help with insulin treatment

Preventive care, such as HbA1c and lipid testing

Insulin pumps and other technology

Teaching Kitchen

The Teaching Kitchen in the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Center for Advanced Pediatrics offers an encouraging wellness environment for children living with chronic illnesses. Classes are community-based and family-centered, and kids and adults can learn the health—and often cost-saving benefits—of preparing their own meals. Each class is taught by a chef, who is accompanied by a registered dietitian or educator, in addition to volunteers.

Our Unique Approach

When your child has diabetes, it’s important to work with a team that specializes in pediatric diabetes care. Your child’s specialists know how diabetes can affect kids’ bodies. They also know how to put kids and families at ease—and how to encourage preventive care and self-management to prevent complications.

Every day, more than 6,000 children and young adults in Georgia with diabetes go to school, play sports, have friends and do pretty much everything they did before they found out they had diabetes. Children's sees about 400 newly diagnosed patients with diabetes every year, caring for nearly 4,000 families. Plus, our Diabetes Education Department has been recognized by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) as meeting the National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education since 2004.

We can help your child balance the daily demands of blood testing and preventive care with the challenges of growing up—and you will have the information and support you need to help your child get on track for the healthiest future possible.

Working for all kids

We are also working with other organizations, such as Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to create a world where kids with diabetes spend less time worrying about treatment and more time being a kid. We worked with the ADA and Georgia legislators to get Safe at School legislation passed in Georgia, requiring every school in the state to train at least two employees in diabetes care. And we worked with the Georgia Association of School Nurses to train more than 200 school nurses across the state, so they can return to their school districts and train school staff on proper diabetes care.

Meet the Team

Meet the diabetes team

Our team includes the following pediatric endocrinologists and advanced practice providers:

Helpful Resources

Living with diabetes might seem overwhelming at first. After diagnosis, you and your child will have a lot to learn. Children’s is here for you. We offer information, classes and other resources for you and your child, and we are always available if you have questions or concerns. Here are some resources to help you get started.

Managing your child’s diabetes: Self-care and preventive care are the key to preventing complications and living a full life. With our helpful tools and videos, learn what you can do to help your child stay healthy, learning and growing with diabetes.

Camp Kudzu: Camping sessions, family weekends and teen retreats for kids with Type 1 diabetes and their families. The focus is on fun and sharing, and children and families can relax with others who understand their daily challenges.

Patient family handbook: Download and print this handbook, and keep it handy. It includes information and checklists, as well as forms and charts that you can fill out to make managing diabetes easier.

Classes: Children’s offers several classes on diabetes and self-care for children and their families.

For school nurses and daycare providers: Making schools and daycares safe for kids with diabetes takes everyone’s cooperation. Children’s offers information, classes and contacts to help teachers and other caretakers do their part.

Taking diabetes to college: High school and current college students with diabetes are invited to join us, along with their parents, for a half-day workshop to help support the student transition to diabetes independence at college

Ways to get involved

Whether you're a patient, family member, staff member or donor, if you're part of the Children's family, you play an integral role in making a difference in the care we provide for the many families that need our services. Please contact Angie Duprey for more information.

Recognize a staff member: Our staff is passionate about providing the best care for children with diabetes. Along the way, they build relationships with the entire family. We would love to hear about staff you encountered who went above and beyond.

Make a donation:Our generous donors are dedicated to helping ensure children with diabetes receive the best possible care and the resources needed to succeed. As a Children's donor, you know your gift will be used to support advanced research, treatments and dedicated pediatric care for children with diabetes.